Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows made a donation to the High Fives Foundation in the amount of $150,000 to commemorates Memorial Day and honor U.S. military veterans.
The foundation’s “Military to the Mountains” program will receive the donation so injured veterans can be trained on the slopes. The program, a partnership between Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, High Fives Foundation, Achieve Tahoe (formerly Disabled Sports USA Far West) and Adaptive Training Foundation, hosts and trains injured veterans of the United States armed forces on the slopes of Squaw Valley.
In the 2015-16 season, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows contributed over $150,000 to the High Fives Foundation for the program and helped bring ten veterans from the Adaptive Training Foundation to the mountain to ski and snowboard for the first time in their lives. Funds generated from the 2015-16 program will enable the participation of 22 veterans in the 2016-17 “Military to the Mountains” program. Together with the High Fives Foundation, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows will donate $22,000 of the total amount to 22Kill, a non-profit organization that combats Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among service men and women.
“This Memorial Day Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows honors the U.S. military veterans who serve our country. We’re proud to present $150,000 to the High Fives Foundation to benefit veteran service men and women, with $22,000 going directly to 22Kill” said Andy Wirth, president and CEO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. “The overwhelming success of this year’s first ‘Military to the Mountains’ program, and funds generated this season, will allow Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, High Fives Foundation, and Achieve Tahoe to bring even more veterans from the Adaptive Training Foundation to Squaw Valley next season and support the program for years to come.”
As part of the “Military to the Mountains” program, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows offered a complimentary 2015-16 Silver Tahoe Super Pass to all active-duty military personnel, along with a note of appreciation and a challenge coin in exchange for a donation of $25, of which all proceeds support non-profit organizations 22Kill and “Military to the Mountains.” To make a donation to the High Fives Foundation or to learn more about “Military to the Mountains”, visit HighFivesfoundation.org.
“High Fives Foundation is dedicated to improving the physical and emotional health of U.S. military veterans through the ‘Military to the Mountains’ program by providing resources and inspiration during their recovery,” said Roy Tuscany, executive director of High Fives Foundation. “Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows’ donation and partnership will allow us to continue our mission, and we look forward to welcoming the 22 veterans who will participate in the program next season.”
Created by the High Fives Foundation following the success veteran Marine Corporal Jacob (Jake) Schick achieved while skiing at Squaw Valley during the 2014-15 winter season, the “Military to the Mountains” program is collective effort between High Fives Foundation, Adaptive Training Foundation, Achieve Tahoe and Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. The organizations successfully worked together to provide Schick with training prior to visiting Squaw Valley, and with adaptive skiing instruction once on the mountain, and will continue to do so for other injured military veterans.
The 2015-16 Military to the Mountains program began with a nine-week training class at the Dallas, TX based Adaptive Training Foundation, founded and operated by retired NFL linebacker, David Vobora. The mission of the Adaptive Training Foundation is to empower the human athlete, restore hope through movement, and redefine the limits of individuals with disabilities. Their role in this effort is to train military veterans who have been severely injured to be physically ready for adaptive skiing lessons. Following the nine-week training, High Fives and Adaptive Training Foundation brought the veterans to Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, where they stayed and took to the slopes with Achieve Tahoe adaptive ski instructors.